Some of my favourite songs, whether played by jazz or non-jazz musicians, turn out to be Cole Porter compositions. What makes those songs so great, and so amenable to jazz improvisation and reharmonization?

I talk a bit about Cole Porter's life. Did you know that he wrote a complete operetta--words and music---at age 10?

And for this episode I play recordings of Begin the Beguine, Night and Day, Anything Goes, So In Love, I Love You, Too Darn Hot, and Down in The Depths of the 90th Floor. Jazz players represented include Dave Brubeck, Art Pepper, Sergio Mendes, Chick Corea, french hornist Tom Varner, Artie Shaw, and Oscar Peterson, Singers include Lani Hall, Bob Dorough, K.D. Lang, Mel Torme, and Fred Astaire.